Ephesians

Composition

Ephesians, also called the letter of Paul to the Ephesians, is a book in the biblical New Testament. Ephesians is one of twenty-one epistles, or letters, in the New Testament. Some scholars believe Paul wrote the letter for a specific church in Ephesus, a city in Asia Minor. Other scholars believe he sent it to numerous churches in that area.

The apostle Paul is traditionally identified as the author of Ephesians. He is believed to be the author of several others biblical epistles, which are known as the Pauline Epistles. Although the letter itself indicates Paul wrote it, some scholars have questioned whether he is the letter’s actual author. At the time the letter was written, it was common for writers to attribute their work to other, more respected writers. Therefore, scholars disagree about whether Paul or one of his followers wrote Ephesians.

Those who believe Paul wrote the letter point out that Paul ministered to the church at Ephesus at least twice during his missionary trips. They believe that he wrote it between 61 and 63 CE when he was held under house arrest by the Romans. Because of that, it is sometimes called one of Paul’s captivity epistles or prison epistles—a group that also includes Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon.

Scholars who believe that one of Paul’s followers wrote Ephesians says that Ephesians—and other New Testament books such as Colossians—differ from some of Paul’s other letters in style and tone. Furthermore, some point out that Ephesians does not have a personal greeting as many other letters from Paul have. Nevertheless, some scholars believe that the differences in content and tone can be accounted for by changes in Paul’s life and ministry.

Some scholars use the term deutero-Pauline to describe Ephesians and other books that they believe were written by Paul’s followers. They believe that their works were attributed to Paul because he inspired them, not because he was their actual author. These scholars believe Ephesians was written after Paul’s death, which is believed to have occurred in Rome between 62 and 64 CE. Some scholars believe the letter may have been written as late as 80 to 100 CE.

Summary

The author begins the letter with an address saying, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.” The original letter was not explicitly addressed to the Ephesians, stating it was addressed “to the holy ones who are faithful in Christ Jesus,” but it was later changed to say, “to the holy ones in Ephesus who are faithful in Christ Jesus.” Paul then provides a blessing to the “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” on behalf of the audience, giving thanks for the blessings that Christians have experienced.

Paul then talks about the forgiveness that Christians have experienced from God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, saying, “In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace.” He also expresses thanksgiving to God for the congregation to whom he is writing, which is a common trait of Pauline letters. He also hopes God gives the congregation even more wisdom and faith.

Paul compares the Church to a body and compares Christ to the head of the body. This metaphor differs from somewhat similar analogies Paul made in texts such as Romans, in which Paul compared Christ all the whole body and the Church as the parts of that body.

Paul focuses on the Church, Jesus Christ, and God’s mercy in the next few chapters. Paul talks about humans’ penchant for sinning and claims that, before Jesus Christ, people were “dead in [their] transgressions and sins.”

Paul also talks about another issue—the salvation of the Gentiles—that is common to other Pauline epistles. Paul, who was known as the apostle of the Gentiles for his recruitment of non-Jews into Christianity, talked about the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s plan in numerous epistles. He points out that Jesus Christ has made all people one in his sacrifice because he died for all people—not just for the people of Israel. Paul writes about this topic more extensively in his letter to the Galatians. In Ephesians, Paul mirrors his argument from Galatians that Jesus Christ’s death changed the relationship between humans and God, making the old laws unnecessary. Therefore, Gentiles did not have to follow the old laws to be Christians. They only need to have faith in Jesus Christ. Paul indicates that Jews and Gentiles have been united into one people by Jesus Christ and his sacrifice.

Paul also says, as he did in other Pauline letters (most notably Romans), that people’s faith, not their deeds, save them. He says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.”

In chapter 3, Paul reveals that he is imprisoned, and he talks about his special mission to the Gentiles. He also describes how Gentiles and Jews have been united through Christ and will stay united in the Church. Paul also reflects on the unlikeliness of his Christian ministry, saying, “To me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ.” He ends the chapter with a prayer for his audience, asking God to deepen their faith and understanding. He ends the prayer by praising God.

Paul urges the Ephesians to be humble and to stay united with each other. He also again compares Christ to the head of the body and the Church to the body. Paul tells the audience to turn away from their past lives and to renew themselves in Christ. He says that the Gentiles were ignorant of the truth before, but now they should “put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.” He also tells them that they must avoid sin by working hard, not stealing, and avoiding anger.

In chapter 5, Paul continues to urge the members of the Church to live good lives and avoid sin. He warns that idle or greedy people will not inherit the kingdom of God. He then uses another metaphor, telling his audience that they should be children of the light and should avoid living in darkness. He tells them that they should not continue in ignorance but should try to understand the Lord’s will. Paul then talks about the roles in families and communities. He says that wives should be subordinate to their husbands as the Church is subordinate to Christ. Paul also says that husbands should love their wives just as Christ loved the Church. He ends the chapter saying, “In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband.”

Paul continues his thoughts in the next chapter, explaining that children should obey their parents. He also states that fathers should not provoke their children. He has a similar message for bondservants, or enslaved people, and their masters.

At the end of chapter 6, Paul tells his audience that they should prepare to do battle for God. He tells them to “Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.” He says that members of the Church should try to resist evil and use their faith to protect themselves. He indicates that the devil will try to hurt members of the Church and lead them away from their faith. Therefore, he warns them that they should be ready to protect themselves.

Themes

The author of Ephesians, whether it was Paul or one of his followers, covers several themes that are similar to themes in other Pauline letters. Scholars say that most of the themes and ideas of Ephesians are covered in other Pauline epistles. The overlap in ideas is especially strong with Colossians. Although the letter contains numerous themes covered in other letters, it does not have as much personal information about either Paul or the congregation. This lack of personal information is why some scholars believe one of Paul’s followers wrote the letter. In other undisputed Pauline letters, Paul addresses individuals in the congregations he is writing to and tells personal details about his own life. Galatians is an very personal letter in which Paul writes about a conflict with members of that congregation.

A theme in Ephesians that is common among other Pauline letters is the idea that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice was made for all people, not just for Jews. Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles because he—although he was a Jew before converting to Christianity—set up churches among and ministered to the Gentiles. Many of the epistles, most famously Galatians, talk about how the Gentiles need not follow the laws set out in the Torah because Jesus’s death changed the relationships between God and humans.

Ephesians also has themes of redemption and grace. The author brings up this idea numerous times, including in chapter 1 (“In him we have redemption through his blood.”) and chapter 5 (“Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”) This theme is also prominent in other Pauline letters, such as Colossians.

Bibliography

The Bible. New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE). Oxford University Press, 2011.

DeSilva, David A. Ephesians. Cambridge University Press, 2022.

“Ephesians.” USCCB, 2022, bible.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/0. Accessed 25 Apr. 2022.

“Ephesians.” Insight for Living Ministries, insight.org/resources/bible/the-pauline-epistles/ephesians. Accessed 25 Apr. 2022.

Fields, C. Ryan. “Giving or Receiving Gifts? Reexamining Paul’s Use of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8.” Evangelical Quarterly. vol. 92, no. 2, 2021, pp. 122–141. EBSCO, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=152640314&site=ehost-live. Accessed 25 Apr. 2022.

Hoehner, Harold W. Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary. Baker Publishing Group, 2002.

Jeremiah, David. Ephesians: The Inheritance We Have in Christ. HarperChristian Resources, 2020.

Roberts, Mark D., and Scot McKnight. Ephesians. Zondervan, 2016.

Sanders, E.P. “Paul, the Apostle, Saint.” Britannica Biographies, 2012. EBSCO, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=apr&AN=32420236&site=eds-live. Accessed 25 Apr. 2022.

Stott, John. Ephesians: Building a Community in Christ. InterVarsity Press, 2020.